‘Physical: 100’ embroiled by bullying, domestic violence and intimidation claims against contestants
By Ana Yoo
Three separate “Physical: 100” contestants are facing accusations of bullying, domestic violence and intimidation.
The controversies come amid ongoing allegations that the show’s final competition was rigged by its production team.
The most widely reported controversy has centered on contestant and stunt performer Kim Da-young.
On Feb. 14, an anonymous user posted on the online community Nate Pann, accusing Kim of being a bully in middle school.
The author claimed that the bullying intensified after they told their parents about Kim. They were allegedly dragged to a karaoke room by Kim and her friends, where their phone was subsequently stolen and they were slapped several times.
The accuser wrote that they were motivated to post their alleged experiences after Kim’s appearance on “Physical: 100” popularized them online as a “cool person.”
The post — which quickly went viral — has since been taken down, but the detailed accusations incited other alleged victims to speak out against Kim.
In a subsequent post, another netizen who claimed to have attended the same middle school also spoke of having money taken and being assaulted by Kim. “I received an apology from her parents and it led to disciplinary action, but nothing changed,” the netizen wrote.
Another anonymous netizen described their alleged bullying by Kim: “I remember everything from being beaten by you, being robbed of money, and even being told to massage your legs.”
On Tuesday, Kim responded to the allegations in a post on Instagram.
She apologized for her actions, writing:
I admit that I was a delinquent student. Looking back at the past, I hung out with the popular kids and didn’t know that the thoughtless words I said to my juniors would hurt them. Even if it takes time, if the opportunity arises, I want to personally apologize and ask for forgiveness.
Although Kim admitted to swearing at her juniors, she denied the allegations of money extortion and acts of physical violence and wrote that she would be taking legal action if the accusations continued to circulate. She has since closed the comments sections of her Instagram posts.
The Gangnam Police Precinct in Seoul announced that it was investigating one contestant on assault and battery charges made by his girlfriend on Thursday morning.
The police did not provide a name but described the reported assailant as a former member of a national sports team.
After the girlfriend reported being assaulted and threatened with a weapon, police arrived at the scene and booked the contestant for questioning. Although a weapon was found on the scene, police are still investigating whether or not it was used.
The controversy has continued to grow as CCTV footage allegedly showing the woman fleeing the scene in her pajamas on the day of the incident has spread online.
Another contestant, identified only as a former dancer, was investigated by prosecutors for charges of intimidation after his former girlfriend reported him in November 2022, according to local reports.
The contestant allegedly committed various acts of self-harm, including hitting his face with his fists and banging his head on a desk and wall, after his ex-girlfriend expressed her wishes to break up. Local news outlets said the contestant is also accused of blackmailing his former girlfriend into continuing the relationship.
In light of the numerous scandals, Netflix canceled a press conference originally scheduled to be held at the CGV located in Seoul’s I-Park Mall on Tuesday.
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